Lamb of God, metal survivors, welcomed back to Hampton Roads at The NorVa

More than a thousand metal fans gave Richmond rockers Lamb of God a sweaty salute Thursday night at The NorVa. It was the group's first local show since singer, Randy Blythe, emerged from a legal fight that threatened to kill his band.

Earlier this month, an appeals court upheld the acquittal of Blythe, who had been accused of causing a teenage fan's death in the Czech Republic in 2010. Blythe was accused of pushing a fan who had climbed on stage during a concert in Prague. The fan fell from the stage and later died of a head injury.

After Lamb of God's second tune at The NorVa, Blythe paused to talk briefly about the saga, which landed the vocalist in a Czech jail for more than a month. He mentioned that his legal problems had been "taken care of."

"You all know the reason," he said and referred to the whole situation as very sad. Then he made a quick appeal for audience safety. "Norfolk, take care of each other out there. But lose your (expletive) minds!"

Early in the set, the group blasted "Walk With Me In Hell" and "Ruin" as Blythe paced the stage, glowering, his head soaked with water. Guitarist Mark Morton, who grew up near Williamsburg, meanwhile sprayed the crowd with intense, distorted riffs.

Blythe dedicated "Now You've Got Something to Die For," to American military service members. "We do it to show respect," he told the crowd. During the song, images of soldiers, helicopters and flag-draped coffins flashed across two large video screens.

The band also dedicated a song to Slayer guitarist and co-founder Jeff Hanneman who died last month of liver failure at age 49.